Bedrock Profiling on Placer Gold claim with new technology

[mulletator]

We're using the latest geophysical technique to map bedrock and find hidden paleo-channels. Check out our latest survey on our claim in the Similkameen region of BC.

 

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[IMAUDIGGER]

We're using the latest geophysical technique to map bedrock and find hidden paleo-channels. Check out our latest survey on our claim in the Similkameen region of BC.

Interesting video and nice looking ground.
Looking forward to seeing the finished survey.

Which technology are you referring to as being new?

 

[mulletator]

Thanks IMAUDIGGER. We are using a new type of seismic sensor that doesn't require an energy source. It's very new and very awesome!

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Thanks IMAUDIGGER. We are using a new type of seismic sensor that doesn't require an energy source. It's very new and very awesome!

You mean there isn't a sounding charge or impact?

I'm assuming you used a drone to generate existing site contours?

 

[mulletator]

You mean there isn't a sounding charge or impact?

I'm assuming you used a drone to generate existing site contours?

That is correct. No dynamite, vibration, or artificial source of any kind. We use drones for the surface model as well.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

That is correct. No dynamite, vibration, or artificial source of any kind. We use drones for the surface model as well.

Wow if that works, it would eliminate a bunch of permitting hassles.
Assuming this company has projects where they have truthed their survey with bore logs?

What is the name of the company?

 

[mulletator]

Wow if that works, it would eliminate a bunch of permitting hassles.
Assuming this company has projects where they have truthed their survey with bore logs?

What is the name of the company?

It works and it's tested. The company is called WestCoastPlacer.

We have tested against auger drill holes on placer claims in the Yukon and several properties in BC. We started doing this last summer.

Check it out: https://www.westcoastplacer.com/bedrock-profiling/

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

How long does the sensor have to “listen” at each station?

Is this patented technology?

 

[Clay Diggins]

This has been in use for about 20 years. It's generally called near surface passive seismic surveying but there are a lot of commercial names applied by the manufacturers. It's used a lot to determine subsurface support for buildings and roads. It's useful for shallow placer mining projects as well.

If the cost is reasonable and the results are accurate this could be a good thing for those mining bench placers as demonstrated in Nicholas' advertisement video.

You can read more about mining uses here:
https://www.aseg.org.au/2016-near-surface-passive-seismic-surveying

Heavy Pans

 

[Seden]

Thanks for the link Clay. All things being equal I'll stick with the noise sources I can afford- a Sledgehammer+ strike plate and a Betsy seisgun.

 

[OwenT]

This has been in use for about 20 years. It's generally called near surface passive seismic surveying but there are a lot of commercial names applied by the manufacturers. It's used a lot to determine subsurface support for buildings and roads. It's useful for shallow placer mining projects as well.

If the cost is reasonable and the results are accurate this could be a good thing for those mining bench placers as demonstrated in Nicholas' advertisement video.

You can read more about mining uses here:
https://www.aseg.org.au/2016-near-surface-passive-seismic-surveying

Heavy Pans

Good to know. I was a little skeptical before. Things like "new technology", "proven", "tested", and "no energy source needed" with no additional explanation makes me think it's malarkey.

What would the possible resolution be for a small area and relatively shallow bedrock?

 

[Clay Diggins]

In the video the z axis is shown as representing 2 foot resolution. If that's accurate it seems these could be useful.

These units do have batteries but the sensing function is passive.

Resolution is dependent on the number of samples, the number and distance between samples (density) and the length of time for each sample. The process has natural limits as well. I imagine Nicholas will have more specific answers about his method.

Heavy Pans.

 

[ncclaymaker]

UAV LiDAR may be the newer answer. Faster, not cheap, but more accurate. Technology moves along faster than most of us can run.

 

[mulletator]

Clay Diggins, you are sort of correct but not really. The H/V technique was invented in the 90s but has not been widely used. I'm a geophysicist with experience in the mining and petroleum industries going back 16 years. I've worked with lots of new technology including many different seismic systems. The technology that we're using is only 5 years old and we are some the first to be using it for placer exploration.

Seismic refraction using a traditional energy source has been used in placer lots, but it's expensive, requires cut lines, a crew and dynamite permits. You can do it without dynamite but you won't get as good of results, I know this from experience. The passive system doesn't have any of those requirements.

H/V can be done with tri-axial geophones but our system is specifically designed for this type of survey and we are using a new processing technique.

The resolution depends on the interpretation more than anything. The device is insanely accurate and each point is independent, it's not a line like traditional 2D or 3D seismic and you don't have CMPs or anything like that. As long as you have strong impedance contrast between layers you're accurate. When you have decomposed bedrock that can provide some uncertainty of the exact interface but you see the decomposed section too.

IMAUDIGGER, the listening time depends on several factors but we have settled on a 20 minute record time per station. We are using a sensor that is patented, it's not our invention but we do have our own unique processing technique.

Seden, You go ahead and have fun with your seisgun. You still need geophones and a line, etc. But knock yourself out.

ncclaymaker, we actually do UAV LiDAR too. How do you think we get the surface profile? We use photogrammetry or LiDAR depending on the situation. Those can't see into the earth. They map the surface only, you can't find a channel by surface map alone.

We're working on a cool new technology using our drones and a multi-spectral camera. It won't see into the earth but uses an NDVI technique to classify different types of vegetation. The idea is that certain types of vegetation like to grow in disturbed ground. We've had some success with this technique in the Yukon, especially in areas where there's permafrost. We're still working on that though. In the right areas it can be used as a wide area scanning tool to get an idea of where to look for channels, we have a long range drone that can cover 640 acres in one flight so this can be very economical.

The passive seismic system is exactly as I have described. It's real and it's spectacular.

 

[1637]

about what would it cost to map a 160 area claim.i love that theres always something new.
thanks brad

 

[mulletator]

Hey 1637, send a message here: https://www.westcoastplacer.com/contact/

We can discuss the project.

 

[Reed Lukens]

A friend was called by a company that is also doing something similar to this and they are charging between $20,000.00 to $60,000.00 a hectar... I can't remember which. Either way, it was way to much for us, how do you compare in price?

 

[mulletator]

Our pricing isn't per hectare. It's per day and the amount of time involved depends on the station spacing and how many readings we take.

Our prices are substantially less than traditional seismic, that's what makes our system so awesome. We don't need cut lines, a crew, or an energy source that makes it much cheaper to run. It's pretty hard for a placer miner to cough up $60,000 for exploration but we do it for a fraction of that.

 

[Reed Lukens]

Most miners have 20acre claims, so do you have a 20 acre price or... how many days do you estimate that it would take you to survey the 20 acres? And if you have a lode, how would you set it up in a tunnel? Would you need to drill? Say a tunnel is 6 feet wide x 8 feet high by 100' long.

 

[Reed Lukens]

And how would it work on a standard 60°+- vertical fault? How deep and how high can you get your readings from?